Jean Scharre Thompson was a high school teacher and educator who had a lifelong interest in and commitment to women's rights and women's education while being an active member of the American Association of University Women. The Jean Alice Scharre Thompson Scholarship is a one-time annual award providing support in the amount of $2,000 to an undergraduate student majoring in Gender and Women's Studies.
Requirements:
- Students must be registered, full-time, and in good standing with the University and must continue as students in the upcoming academic semester.
- Students must be a Junior or Senior GWS major
Overall and major GPA, as well as involvement on campus and/or social justice work will be considered.
Want some tips on how to create a strong application for the Thompson Scholarship? Two of our faculty members made this short video to help you out!
Applicants are asked to complete the application and submit it with recent transcripts, and a letter of support from a faculty and/or advisor who can speak on the student’s research interests and/or commitment to gender and women’s studies and activism and social justice work.
Unsure how to ask for a reference letter? The Career Center has guidance for you!) All letters of reference should be submitted electronically to tmatos@illinois.edu.
Students must submit application materials electronically via the application link to the Gender and Women’s Studies Department by 11:59 PM on March 6, 2026.
For more information, please contact Tasha Robles at Gender & Women’s Studies by e-mail at: tmatos@illinois.edu.
Previous Award Recipients
2026 Lyba Akhtar & Destiny Doss
2025 Yichen Wang
2024 Katelyn Barbour & Lisa Nevarez
2023 Claire Accardo
2022 Emily Morrissette & Michael Ross Jacobson
2021 Alaina Bottens
2020 Taylor Mazique
2019 Shameem Razack
2018 Eleanor Hinton
2017 Rachel Christie
2016 Sylwia Dutka
2015 Hana Nasser
2014 Stephanie Skora